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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26171050">Concrete Angel (Reprise)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasuna_Kotonoha/pseuds/Kasuna_Kotonoha'>Kasuna_Kotonoha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Through the wind and the rain [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hamilton - Miranda</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adopted Sibling Relationship, Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Poly, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hurt Aaron Burr, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multi, Other, Past Abuse, Poor Aaron Burr, Probably inaccurate foster system, Timothy Edwards A+ Parenting, she said sarcastially</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:35:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,979</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26171050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasuna_Kotonoha/pseuds/Kasuna_Kotonoha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>But what if Washington or the Adams's had done something. Would Aaron's story have a happier end?</p><p> </p><p>An alternative ending to "Concrete Angel", since someone asked and because I couldn't just leave it there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Burr &amp; Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr &amp; Alexander Hamilton &amp; John Laurens &amp; Lafayette &amp; Hercules Mulligan, Aaron Burr &amp; George Washington, Aaron Burr/Theodosia Prevost Burr, Aaron Burr/Theodosia Prevost Burr/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler, George Washington/Martha Washington, Theodosia Prevost Burr/Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Through the wind and the rain [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1900489</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Concrete Angel (Reprise)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Edit: Forgot to add this</p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQQWoSdm6Qs</p><p>This is a dance my sister was in. She dances the girl who dies. It's the only reason I know this song.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Washington is the first to realize somethings up with Aaron. He’s not entirely sure why he keeps an eye on him, but he does, and it’s here where the seeds of suspicion start to grow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a tricky situation when a teacher suspects a student is being abused. He has no real evidence, aside from the fact that he’s quiet, always seems to be wearing hoodies no matter the weather, and that he doesn’t like Washington raising his voice, and he only notices these things because Alexander used to be like that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aaron, would you mind talking with me for a moment?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The kid looks a bit like a deer caught in headlights, but does approach his desk as the rest of the students file out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What do you need, sir?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just wanted to ask you something,” Washington says, trying to keep his mannerisms as nonthreatening as possible. “Is, uh, everything okay at home?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aaron’s expression immediately becomes guarded. “With all due respect, sir, that’s none of your concern, sir.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is, actually. Do you know what a mandated reporter is?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, sir.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, its exactly what it sounds like. I’m not accusing anyone of anything, but I have a responsibility. Teachers </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aaron is silent for a moment before he says, “Everything is fine, sir. Could I get going to my next class?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sure, let me write you a pass.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He watches Aaron leave, feeling more unsure about the right course of action. As it is, something and someone else makes that choice for him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Abigail and John Adams are reading in their living room, a breeze coming through the open window. It’s a quiet evening, the TV displaying the current news.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The idyllic image is broken when they hear the sound of shouting, screaming, and various things falling and possibly breaking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Abigail wordlessly reaches for her phone and dials three numbers.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A squad cars roll up, sirens off, and one officer knocks on their door as the other officer checks out the Edwards house. He’s in the middle of questioning when his radio goes off and he leaves with a promise to come back later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Maybe ten minutes later two more police cars roll up, as well as an ambulance. She recognizes Timothy Edwards as he’s led out, hands cuffed behind his back and clearly inebriated, even from where she’s standing. The paramedics pass Edwards and the two officers with him carrying a stretcher. They reemerge with the only other person Abigail knows to live there. Aaron Burr seems so small as he’s loaded into the ambulance and driven away.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The officer from before returns, and as the final car pulls away, she knows she made the right decision.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sarah Burr is watching a movie with her boyfriend when she gets the call. For a moment, her mind is nothing but static, and she can’t think.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sarah? Sarah, what’s wrong?” Tapping places a hand on her shoulder, and she flinches.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tapping immediately withdraws his hand. “Is everything okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She shakes her head, eyes glistening with tears. “That was the police. Timothy was arrested and Aaron’s in the hospital.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tapping gasps. “What? What happened?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She sniffles. “I don’t know.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are we waiting for, then. Pack an overnight bag, we leave in fifteen minutes.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She stands there for a moment before springing into action, grateful for the straightforward task occupying most of her brainpower. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Ten minutes later, they’re driving off. Tapping is at the wheel, and Sarah is once again reminded just how grateful she is for him. There no way she could be present enough to drive safely. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a two-hour drive, and it’s one in the morning when they arrive, but she doesn’t feel tired at all. She is able to find the officer waiting for her, and he tells her as much as he is privy too.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She won’t be able to see her brother until the morning, but she refuses to leave the hospital, choosing to set up in one of the hospital’s rooms with chairs that convert to beds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t sleep very well, and she gets woken up by the officer from before telling her she can see her brother now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Aaron looks so small and frail laying there, still unconscious, and Sarah chokes back a sob. He’s wearing a simple hospital gown, and she can clearly see the bruises littering his neck and one of his arms. The other arm is wrapped in a cast up to his elbow. A nurse comes in to check on him, and Sarah gets a chance to look at his record.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A broken arm, two broken ribs, and countless bruises. There’s also notes of something else that makes Sarah sick to her stomach. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The day Aaron doesn’t come into class, Washington can’t help but worry. He knows it might be nothing. It probably </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>nothing, but he’s on edge all day.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>That unease turns to dread when he gets a call from Martha during his prep hour. She’s a nurse, and never calls him while she’s on shift, and he answers specifically because of that.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hello?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Hello dear. Um, you know that student you were worried about? Aaron?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes…?” He’s not sure where this is going, but every instinct in his body is screaming red flags.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“He was brought to the hospital last night, and I only know he’s here because he was on my rotation.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ok, has the school been notified?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m not sure, but there’s another reason I’m calling.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ok, and that is?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Aaron’s legal guardian was arrested, and he has no other living family besides his sister, who’s only just turned eighteen, and doesn’t have the means to support another person.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ok? What are you trying to get at?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Patience dear, I’m getting there. The hospital knows I’m a registered foster parent, and that you happen to work at Aaron’s school.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you saying we should foster him?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I’m saying it’s a possibility. It would cause the least amount of disruption to his life, and…”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She trails off, and Washington frowns slightly. “Is everything okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“-sigh-Yeah, it’s just… god, some people are just horrible, George, you know? They destroy everything in their path, and its people like Aaron and Alex who pay the price.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I know, Martha. I presume both of us have to get back to work, but do you want me and Alex to come visit after school?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Please, if you could. I have to go now, love you.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Love you too, bye.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He hangs up with a sigh. At least he knows Aaron is safe now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“No thanks to you,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>his brain supplies helpfully. He doesn’t have the energy to argue with himself right now, and just settles on thinking about it later.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s a little distracted for the rest of the day, sending a text to Alexander to meet him in his classroom after school, which he does.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey, dad! What’s up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you have everything you need?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yup, why do you ask?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good, let’s go, I’ll explain on the way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He grabs his own bag with papers he needs to grade and starts walking to his car, Alex close on his heels.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to the hospital,” Washington says as he unlocks his car.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alex gets into the passenger seat, confusion clear on his face. “The hospital? Why?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Martha called me earlier. She’s fine,” he adds quickly, seeing Alex’s brief alarmed expression. “But I’m afraid the same cannot be said of Aaron.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Aaron Burr? Is that why he was gone today? What happened.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not entirely sure, but I believe it was because of a similar set of circumstances to yours before you came to me and Martha.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Alexander’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m afraid not.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did Martha talk about fostering? Knowing her, she did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>George chuckles. “She did, but at this stage, we don’t know.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, that would probably be the best course of action. I know you and Martha aren’t asses, and he wouldn’t even need to change schools.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Language,” Washington chides gently, but Alex is right. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sarah is scared. Not that her brother is going to die, at least not anymore. No, she’s scared of what’s going to happen to him once he gets discharged. She only just became a legal adult, and can barely afford to provide for herself and Tapping. Don’t get her wrong, she wants to, really she does, but it’s just not possible.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She’s distracted with thoughts like this when she meets him. Mr.Washington is quite an imposing man, no doubt, but he’s friendly. She doesn’t trust him right away, how could she, but she’s willing to try.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sarah doesn’t know what the future holds. All she knows is she never wants to see her baby brother hurt like this again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Close to a year passes, and Aaron can’t believe how much better things are now. The biggest thing is his home situation. The Washingtons are wonderful, though it’s not much of a competition when compared to Timothy.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Speaking of, Timothy’s trial had wrapped up just a few weeks ago. He’s only going into prison for six years, but he’s grateful he got charged at all. There’s also the fact that Timothy isn’t allowed to talk to or even come near him again, and he feels no small amount of satisfaction that Edwards is a registered sex offender.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He only ever went back to his old residence once, to get all his belongings and steal some of the food. Hey, if his uncle wasn’t going to need it, might as well take it. They tossed out all the other food. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t look back once.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He still remembers the day he was asked with perfect clarity. He was cleared to be discharged, and his social worker had taken him to her office to discuss future arrangements.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’d expected it to just be him and Mrs.Wollstonecraft, but when they arrived, the Washingtons had been seated in the office as well. To his surprise, they wanted to foster him, and Mrs.Wollstonecraft says that it’s possible he would have got to them anyway, as one of the closest families available. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He spends maybe two seconds thinking about it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s a little strange, living with one of his teachers and a classmate, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything. He does, sometimes, feel just a little intimidated by Washington, but he does trust him, which is new. He’d never really trusted anyone before this. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He gets closer to Alex’s friend group, who, despite being quite obnoxious, do genuinely seem to care about him. They’re over most days for at least an hour or two, usually playing video games, but sometimes for study groups, which Aaron is always a part of. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(He still remembers their shock when he told them he was fifteen despite being a junior like the rest of them.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The biggest moment comes at the end of the year, when he goes to Prom with Theodosia. It comes as both a surprise and not a shock at all when he learns the Rev set had a betting pool on when they’d get together.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>(Later, it turns into when Eliza is going to be added to their relationship. Alex wins that bet.)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s not completely okay. He still gets panic attacks sometimes, nightmares, or flashbacks to his time living with his uncle, but they’re becoming less and less frequent.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He tells Alex the night before their High school graduation that he honestly had expected to be dead by this point. Naturally, this only makes his adopted (adopted!) brother tear up, immediately pulling him into a hug. They stay that way for the rest of the night, falling asleep in a position that cannot be comfortable in any way.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It’s five years later, when he’s laying in bed with Theo and Eliza that he realizes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s finally happy.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Again, let me know if anything is glaringly wrong.</p><p>Teachers really are mandated reporters, at least in the USA. The law requires them to report suspected cases of abuse.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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